WHITE AND GREENISH WILD FLOWERS 
possessed some mystic charm to ward off fever, and 
with this faith they sought the earliest flower of the 
year with more or less ceremony, and wore it attached 
to their clothing with much the same spirit probably 
as we of to-day seek and wear the four-leaf Clover. 
The Anemone is also an oriental dignitary, having some 
celestial significance among the Chinese, who make 
use of it in connection with their funeral rites, and it is 
referred to as the Death Flower. How times have 
changed! If any one dared to advance similar sup- 
positions in the present era, they would, in all proba- 
bility, be. assailed with ridicule. Nevertheless, the 
Ancients, though lacking much definite botanical 
science, were undoubtedly sincere in their belief. The 
roots have some medicinal value, and one species fur- 
nishes a remedy for sore eyes. It is said that cattle which 
have fed on the Anemone have experienced poisonous 
symptoms therefrom. The Anemones follow closely 
upon the heels of the Hepaticas, Bloodroots, and Yellow 
Adder’s Tongues in the floral contest for early blossom- 
ing in the springtime. They are commonly found in 
colonies along the margins of low woods, or in some- 
what open places along hillsides where the soil is light 
and partially shaded, during April, May and June. 
They are often clustered near the base of old trees or 
stumps. The beautiful, delicate blossoms are faintly 
fragrant and measure an inch in diameter. Four to 
nine oval, petal-like sepals take the place of petals — 
they have no true petals — and in this respect they 
resemble the flowers of the Marsh Marigold. They 
234 
